EchoesofOlympus

Since I’ve been getting a lot of emails lately and there seems to be a bit of confusion, I thought I’d make a small post here too:

I made the game public again. 🫣

Mostly because I finally felt brave enough to share it again. And honestly, my partner also encouraged me a lot when it came to putting it back out there.

To clarify one thing though: I’m not really “back” on Tumblr itself. I just don’t think the platform is really the right one for me... Or maybe I’m not right for the platform? Either way, that’s okay haha.

I’m still active on Discord, through email, and occasionally on Patreon where I share updates, announcements, progress, and so on. (Everything remains completely free, as always.)

And for anyone wondering: I never stopped writing.

This story has been with me for years now and, gods willing, I honestly don’t think I’ll ever stop working on it, no matter how long it takes me to finish.

I’m also planning to add a proper update log directly into the game itself soon, so even the silent lurkers among you can more easily keep track of where things currently stand without having to hunt through posts and announcements.

I am very sorry for what I said, I shouldn't have said those things, it was awful. I'm going to pretend that original ask doesn't exist because I'm too embarrassed about it.

If I could go back in time and not write it, I would.

Hey, I’m really glad you reached out again. I saw all your messages. I understand that you regret how things came across, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to say so. I absolutely accept your apology. We all misstep sometimes, especially when emotions run high.

There’s no need to dwell on it and it’s all in the past. I do hope you’ll understand, though, that I decided to keep the original ask public, since it gave me the chance to explain that the game isn’t gone or abandoned - just private from now on.

You too are always welcome to send me an email, and I’ll be happy to share the private link with you if you’d like to keep reading.

But don't use that as an excuse for the fact that you were never going to finish this game (not really) and you deceived all your followers, stealing money from those players who helped you on Patreon. These "authors" ALWAYS came up with the lie that their computer exploded, to the point that it became OBVIOUS that several of them were lying (although some were telling the truth). Now the new lie they're ALWAYS using is the anonymous asks (Obviously, there are several real cases among this bunch of liars!)

I'm tired of this bullshit of an "author" starting an IF game, creating a Patreon, getting a ton of money from those who believed in them, and then simply deleting the game... Or worse, they wouldn't delete the game and, instead of writing the main game, would keep making endless drabbles for Patreon for YEARS. At first, "I didn't care about it", but when it started happening more and more and more and more and more... This month alone, 3 IFs were deleted; including yours, that makes 4 (Two of the "authors" didn't even try to explain themselves; they simply deleted their games or disappeared. Both had Patreon accounts.). And of course, one of them used the excuse that their computer exploded without providing any proof.

I wasn't going to send this ask, but I ended up sending it because I simply lost patience with this IF community. I'm simply going to do what I learned from "authors" like George Martin. Never follow an "author" who doesn't provide updates about their game or, worse, makes players pay for them (I'm not saying this is your case, I'm speaking generally!!!). Never follow an "author" who starts making one excuse after another for why they aren't writing the game. Never follow an "author" who, instead of writing the game, only writes endless drabbles for years (I know an IF that's like that and it hurt when I realized that game was never going to be released). Never give them money on Patreon unless the author truly deserves it.

I recommend that all other players do this so they won't be disappointed anymore with this IF community. One of these 4 IFs is one that looked like it was going to be REALLY cool, but it seems like it will soon be deleted as well.

Fableforger was also very cool, but now this has happened. Again, I wasn't going to send this ask, but I'm tired of it. I'm going to follow my own advice so I don't get disappointed again.

Hey, I completely understand your frustration. I really do. But - without meaning any disrespect - I think writing it to me might’ve been a little… insensitive. I understand that you felt like you needed to let your frustrations out, but after what I’d written, you probably knew that I wouldn’t be in the best place to handle a message like that. Now, I won’t respond to most of your points (not because I don’t care, but because I don’t have the energy for debates or lengthy justifications right now.)

Still, there’s one thing I seem to have worded poorly, and I want to make it absolutely clear:

I’m not stopping writing the story. I’m just stepping back from promoting it and sharing it publicly.

Over the past few days, I’ve realized just how many people have found something genuinely meaningful in this story and that means the world to me. So yes, I’ll keep updating and even sharing the game, just not openly anymore. It’ll stay private, but everyone who’s already here and truly cares about it (and enjoys it for what it is) will always have access to the link.

The messages I’ve received these past days honestly moved me to tears, and I’m still slowly replying to each one. Everyone who’s written to me will get the link (if they want to and don’t already have it), and I’ll let them know whenever I update.

What I won’t be doing anymore: no promotion, no Patreon, no devlogs, no romance asks, no Tumblr. The only way to reach me is through the email address ([email protected]) and updates will take as long as they need to without me feeling guilty about it.

I genuinely think this is a good solution for everyone involved, because this way, no one will come across the game unless they truly want to and there's also no money involved on any level. And this way, it also feels more like what it was always meant to be: a hobby project for me and friends.

Honestly… that’s where I’m at.

Creating this project has been an incredible experience - joyful, exhausting, transformative. But also, truthfully, a difficult one. I know this might come as a bit of a surprise. Yet I learned something personal today; something that made me question my priorities and my well-being, and realize that maybe I’m simply not made to share parts of myself so openly.

I also want to address something that’s been discussed in a few places online. The use of AI - I know it’s something many people find unacceptable, even deeply upsetting. And that’s valid. Most of the comments about it have been respectful, but ... some were not. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t get to me.

And the truth is… I don’t have much energy I have left to keep this project alive while facing that kind of backlash. I can take criticism, but I’m not built for big arguments. But please don’t misunderstand me - I’ve also seen every kind message, every bit of encouragement, every person who felt something through this story.

And I want to thank a few people in particular. One playtester - who stood by me from the very first test of Chapter 4, and who has already taken a look at parts of Chapter 5. You know who you are. And another person, who offered to help with fanart - you also know who you are. I won’t name names, because I don’t know if you’d want that, but… thank you. Truly.

At the end of the day, this was always a hobby. Yes, I made a Patreon page. Maybe because I wanted to feel like I belonged to a space I’ve loved for so long. I’ve adored Choice of Games titles for decades. I’m not the youngest anymore, and I’m not a native speaker.

I write everything myself. The only thing I’ve ever used AI for is translation, coding, and a bit of help with phrasing things idiomatically. That’s the truth, and I’ve never hidden it. Maybe some of those translations carried patterns people found too “AI-like,” and I understand why that upset them. It’s fair. But please know this story - all of it - came from me. From my own thoughts, my own heart. Every idea, every scene, every character.

I think the hardest part is admitting that I’m just… not built for this kind of exposure. I’m a people pleaser. I try to see the good in everything (or maybe just want others to see the good in me) and to make everyone happy. But I can see now that, even without meaning to, I angered people. I stepped on toes. Some felt personally offended by how this project came to be, or by the tools I chose to use. And I'm sorry about that. And so I’m pulling the plug.

I’ll delete my Patreon in a few days. I’ve already refunded everyone who subscribed in the last few days (just as I’ve always offered to previous subscribers as well). And I want to be clear - I never wanted to make a real profit from this. Not then, not now, not ever. I have a full-time job, a full life outside of this. I only wanted to create something people could talk about with me while we waited for the next big stories to come out.

So I’ll upload everything I have right now. Chapter 4 is finished. Chapter 5 is almost there - some routes are still missing, and I’m sorry to those who were looking forward to them. The demo will be set to private. You can find the link to the (private) game at the very bottom, in case anyone still wants to read it and see where the story was heading, even if it’s unfinished for now. But I don’t want to draw in new people or promote it any further. This is just for those who already cared enough to get invested.

I hope you’ll still be able to see, through Chapter 4 and most of Chapter 5, where I wanted the story to go and maybe, despite everything, that you can still enjoy it for what it is. I think I’ll keep writing privately, for myself for now, and perhaps one day share it again with those who wish to see where it leads.

I know this probably feels strange - especially after I just announced the update yesterday. But that’s life, isn’t it? Messy. Human. Sometimes you think you can handle the storm until you realize it’s been wearing you down grain by grain.

It’s nerve-racking for someone like me. I honestly thought I could take it. But it turns out I was wrong and that’s on me. I know I’ve disappointed people now, which feels even worse...

And please know, I never once claimed to be an author, or the next great writer, or anything close to that. I never tried to make a living out of this. I only ever wanted to create something I could share.

I want to express my deepest respect to every writer or artist or creator who puts their work out there and faces public judgment. It’s brave beyond words. It’s terrifying, draining, and it makes you vulnerable in ways most people will never see.

I’ve neglected parts of my real life for this project. Pieces of my world outside the screen. And maybe I’m just not very good at keeping “real life” and “online life” apart, no matter how much I’d like to believe otherwise.

So yes, this message probably feels unexpected. But if you’ve read this far - thank you.

Thank you to everyone who supported me. Thank you to everyone who cared enough to read. I hope you don’t feel betrayed. I hope I was honest enough with you.

When you share something with the world, there will always be people who dislike it and others who love it. But I’ve learned that I simply don’t have the tools to cope with the former.

I didn’t know that about myself until now.

So once more - thank you. To this community, to everyone who took part in this journey. Over the next few days, I’ll quietly disappear. At the end of the day, no matter what I decide, I’ll never be able to please everyone - so this time, I have to choose to please myself. God, reading this back it sounds like a self-pity party sprinkled with justifications... But that’s not what I mean. Please don’t take it that way. I’m leaving with something I’ve learned about myself. And I’ve felt wonderful emotions through all of this. I’ve had conversations I’ll remember, spoken with people who cared, and shared pieces of a story that meant something to me. And that, in its own way, is exactly what I’d hoped for.

Ah, thank you so much for the kind words. That honestly means a lot to me 🥹💛

And yes, you’re absolutely right! The long loading screen isn’t your device; it’s just the game trying to find the next chapter that hasn’t been uploaded yet. It used to loop endlessly because technically it knows there’s more content, it just can’t find it. I’ve fixed that little hiccup now, so it should stop properly at the end of the demo instead of hanging forever.

What I want to know is, can I go full-on vengeful Kratos mode?

Also, - what separates them from other Gods like with that same kind of domain-overlapping, like Ares? Ares is a God of War and is Wrathful, is Agryan in the same respect.

Thank you so much for your questions 😊

The answer to your first one: deeply.

The answer to your second: yes, there will be moments when you can absolutely lean into that, if you choose to.

And as for the third… well, that’s the real question, isn’t it? 😉 My thoughts are these:

Ares embodies war in all its forms - rage, yes, but also strategy, hunger for dominance, the cold thrill of command. His domain is about the will (or compulsion) to wield power, to measure oneself against others, to conquer, to prove. The reasons behind it can vary and not all of them born out of anger.

Agryan, on the other hand, is wrath in its purest state. And where does wrath come from for you? For me, it comes from hurt, disappointment, humiliation, betrayal - all emotions that strike fast and burn bright, but eventually fade. They don’t always lead to war (except, perhaps, the kind that rages within).

Haha, I’m glad it turned out to be a pleasant surprise then 😁

For context click 👉🏻 here

I completely get what you mean and I’ll let you in on a little secret: the god(dess) of consequences is sometimes the hardest one to write. 😅

Not because it’s meant to be the “right” choice for everyone or because that path gets extra flavor text, but because capturing that whole karmic concept and translating it into story form can be tricky.

Oh, interesting - no, I actually haven’t thought about that before! I don’t know all that much about Discord, to be honest.

But feel free to let me know in the poll below if you’d be interested! And I’d be extra grateful if you could also leave a quick comment about what you’d enjoy most on a server like that (if you vote yes, of course). That would really help me get a better idea of what it could look like. 💛

(Not a series! Just one very long, very overgrown standalone, haha.)

I’m not ruling out possible spin-offs or stories set in the same world someday, but that’s far down the road. For now, this story stands on its own.

On a related note: playtesting for Chapter 4 has been going really well so far! The first reactions have been super encouraging, which is such a relief, honestly.

So once again - thank you to everyone who’s taken part, sent feedback, or simply shown interest. 💛

For context click: 👉🏻 here

Ahh, I completely see where you’re coming from. But every coin has two sides. Where Agrya can stand for righteous fury and the strength it brings, that same power can also feed the wrath of kings and queens who let their people suffer or of those who hold the whips in their hands.

In the end, it all comes down to how the Gods view mortals and what kind of moral compass they follow… if any, haha.

Is one God lesser than another based on their kind of power/domain?

Well, Zeus stands above everyone else, followed by his brothers Poseidon and Hades. Then come the rest of the Twelve, and only after them the so-called “lesser” Gods - where the MC belongs.

Among those lesser deities, though, there isn’t really a fixed hierarchy unless one is created. I picture it a bit like a wolf pack: if one challenges another, a pecking order might form between those two, but the alpha still remains above both and it would not really affect the others.

As for a hierarchy between the domains: Gods don’t really use their powers directly against one another - the destruction and fallout would be too great. (At least until now… 🤫) So it doesn’t usually shape their hierarchy; it’s something far more relevant to mortals than to the Gods themselves.

Hey, thank you so much! 💜 You’re right - that was very much the idea, to give everyone the tools to “build” or visualize their God(dess) as closely as possible. I’ve always loved those little touches in other games, so Echoes of Olympus is basically me piling together all the things I personally enjoy reading and playing haha.